Flashback to when you were younger and mybe in a club like boy scouts or girl guides telling ghost stories and holding sticks with doughboys cooking over campfire. Campfire OK have a name that conjures up that image which suits their music to a tee. The band blend a warm mixture of americana and folk incorporating jazz elements.
“We Lay In Caves” sets the mellow tone of the album with its lack of guitar, piano coming in and out. The short bursts of trumpet add to the laidback groove and nicely end the song. The intro to “Hard Times” had me thinking of the Afghan Whigs due to a similar seductive quality in the singer’s voice but unfortunately that doesn’t throughout the entire song but that’s because Campfire OK have their own sound going on The title track features a number of different toned (and gendered) voices over folk melodies.
“I Would Like Everything” starts out like a pop song reminiscent of The Go-Betweens although the hooks are not quite as instant as the song isn’t a cheery number. However “Not Young Not Old” is a chirpy and catchy piano-driven tune with an irresistable upbeat rythym. The vocals on “Magic Tricks” fit the downbeat lyrics like a glove. Piano dominates in “Brass” which once again utilizes different background voices. The psychedelic brass on Mexico N-O walks on the dark side of the moon. Unfortunately it’s a walk that veers a little too close to Floyd for comfort
There are times that the band seem to meander but the peaks far out way the valleys.. The album’s mellowness is likely to appeal to fans of The Fleet Foxes and those who miss The Go-Betweens are likely to enjoy the vocalist’s voice.
3.5/5
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